Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-12
ADVENTURES OF A SCOUT.
Faul @. Bloom Details Some OF His
Experiences.
N THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOY.
A Brave Youth Among the SIOUX
The Custer Massacre Dealing
With the Road A..n,s-
Staca- Kobberies.

experience upon the frOntler ana In the
government service as u scout
"Yes,n was the reply. II was born
at CoOperstown. n. Y, thirty-cight
years ago, and after residing there five
years my parents moved to st. Paul,
Mimi, then thriving town OF 5000 or
1900 inhabitants. My father and two
uncles became interested in Indian
trading shortly after orr arrival in
Minnesota, and it is but natural that ]
grew up with an infatuation for Indian
trading and the varied and wild life of
the plains. as frequently accompanied
them upon their expeditions into the
Chippewa and Sioux nation reserva-
tiOns. They continued to do a thriving
and prosperous business until the great
Sioux outbreak in 1862.
~ shall never forget the first warn
ing or intimation we received tha4 the
Indians were on the warpath. We had
heard. of course. that the Sioux an
.nuities were late in arriving, and that
they were becoming ugly, and threat
ened to make !. unpleasant for the
whites on the extreme frontier. At last
word was received that annuities would
he paid at Il certain time, and all the
Indian traders started for the posts to
be present at the payment, as at that
time. the Indians having money and
pelts. trading was brisk ana profits
large. We had two four-horse teams
and wagons and had gotten between
Mankato and st. Peter when we re-
ceived the first warning that the In
dians had actually begun their dreadful
work at the Redwood agency.
"Our party consisted of my father. one
uncle. and myself-then lad of twelve
and two men, had just made camp on
the beautiful banks of the Minnesota,
when one of the drivers, who had just
finished preparing dinner for the party,
spoke up and said: Hello. what's the
matter with our friend coming down the
trail?' We all rose to our feet and saw
a horscman galIoping down the narrow
road at Il breaknccli speed. AS he passed
the camp he yelled at the top of his
voice: Look out. the Indians are com
ing and continued his mad career down
the incline.
1--WE Immediately hurried up the
teams. knowing fun well what the
alarm meant. We urged our horses to
their utmost speed in the direction of
st: Peter, on the way to the agency to
which we were bound. We did not re-
alize the extent or violence of the out
break, however, and as we drove along
we met scOrcs.upon scores of frightened
settlers carrying household goods and
. whatever else they could lay hands
upon, and all doing their utmost to
reach MankatO.
"Arriving at st. Peter we found the
little settlement in state of fcrvish cX
ciment. and held a consultation as to
whether to turn back or push on. We
concluded to continue our way to Wash
burn. which placed we reached very
late ut night, ana awOke i'm the morn
ing to find the town surrounded by
angry Sioux under Chief Little Crow.
"For two days the fighting was des-
pcrate, the Indian repeatedly charging
about the town, and from time to time
succeeded in gaining fOot-hOld by get
ting into houses on the outskirts, from
which they were as often driven, but
with great loss OF life on both sides. and
the destruction Of buildings which were
fired by the Sioux before the evacua-
tion.
After several days OF this sort of
warfare the Indians, failing to capture
the town. withdrew toward AbercOmbie,
slaughteripg men, women and children
and devastating the country.
when Sunday morning dawned on
New Ulm, and it was certain that the
Sioux had withdrawn, Il horrible scene
OF carnage met the eye. Lying about
the streets in every conceivable position
were men and women, and, in some in
stance, children mutilatcd and torn,
some dead. some wounded and dying,
while here stood a sturdy ycomun, rifle,
in hand, with blood begrimmed face
and hands, ready to do battle and give
up life if necessary for the protection of
his loved ones, as SO many sturdy set
tiers had dOnebefOr chin.
''The large athennum in the center
of the town presented a pitful sight, as
the wounded and the dead were brought
in, and men were seen hacked'tO pieces
by the frightful tomahawk, and in
almost every instance minus scalps,
which the bloodthirsty Sioux, however
hot and bloody the carnage, never fails
to take, as n proof to his red-dcvil
brother of his triumoh and bravery.
Returning to St Paul | was sent
east to attend school, where l remained
several Gears.
"m 1873 and 1874 I was connected
with the northwest boundary survey
locating the line between British Amer
lea and the United States-the first seal
son with the topographic corps and af-
terward as a bearer Of dispatches and
mali courier. upon lne cOmpleton OF
the surveyI accompanied the Gordon
party from Sioux City the Black Hills
in search of gold, but we were captured
by tho military, our wagons burned, and
everybody turned back except Gordon,
who was detained and imprisoned for
invading an Indian reservation. Re-
turning to civilization once more, l ac-
companicd General Terry on his eNpc-
dition in 1876 against Sitting Bull, the
greet Sioux chief and warrior. We en-
campcd at the mouth Of Powder river,
inMontana and from there eGcneralCustei
was sent on II scouting trip with the en-
tire Seventh cavalry, instructed by Gen
eral Terry to find the Indian trail, ant
to follow the same until it became hot,
and to send back comiers to await on,
coming with the main command. Gus
ter, discovering the Indian camp anC
not knowing the numerical strength o.
the hand, divided his regiment contain
ing GOO men into three columns. and at
tackled the camp.
The Indians, scei ng the attack abol
TO be made, attempted to gather il
their herd OF ponies, but not having
sufficient time, they turned and made /,
fight, which resulted in the total ami
hilation of Custer and his command